Sunday, December 12, 2010

The Tuition Fees Consistency Awards

Simply out of interest I thought I'd compare and contrast those MPs who voted on the original Higher Education Bill that brought in Tuition Fees in 2004 and last week's vote on raising those fees. I wanted to find out which MPs were actually consistent on the issue.

The first list is easy. Of everyone who voted for tuition fees in 2004 not a single MP voted for the rise in 2010. There is not a single MP who has been a consistent advocate of the current policy on tuition fees.

The second list is made up of the Labour 2004 'rebels', the Lib Dem and Tory 2010 'rebels' as well as SNP/Plaid. This list does not contain abstainers only people who voted against tuition fees both times.

Ms Annette Brooke Mid Dorset and North Poole Ldem
Mr Menzies Campbell North East Fife Ldem
Mr Andrew George St Ives Ldem
Mr Mike Hancock Portsmouth South Ldem
Mr Charles Kennedy Ross, Skye and Inverness West Ldem
Mr John Pugh Southport Ldem
Mr Alan Reid Argyll and Bute Ldem
Mr Bob Russell Colchester Ldem
Mr Adrian Sanders Torbay Ldem
Mr Roger Williams Brecon and Radnorshire Ldem
Miss Diane Abbott Hackney North and Stoke Newington Labour.
Mr Martin Caton Gower Labour.
Mr Jeremy Corbyn Islington North Labour.
Mr David Crausby Bolton North East Labour.
Mr Jon Cruddas Dagenham Labour.
Mr John Cryer Hornchurch Labour.
Mr Ian Davidson Glasgow Pollok Labour.
Mr Jim Dobbin Heywood and Middleton Labour.
Mr Frank Dobson Holborn and St Pancras Labour.
Mr Paul Farrelly Newcastle-under-Lyme Labour.
Mr Paul Flynn Newport West Labour.
Mr Roger Godsiff Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath Labour.
Mr Dai Havard Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Labour.
Ms Kate Hoey Vauxhall Labour.
Mr Kelvin Hopkins Luton North Labour.
Mr Eric Illsley Barnsley Central Labour.
Ms Glenda Jackson Hampstead and Highgate Labour.
Mr Tony Lloyd Manchester Central Labour.
Mr Ian Lucas Wrexham Labour.
Mr John McDonnell Hayes and Harlington Labour.
Mr Michael Meacher Oldham West and Royton Labour.
Mr George Mudie Leeds East Labour.
Mr Albert Owen Ynys Môn Labour.
Mr Dennis Skinner Bolsover Labour.
Mr Jon Trickett Hemsworth Labour.
Mr Elfyn Llwyd Meirionnydd Nant Conwy PC
Mr Hywel Williams Caernarfon PC
Mr Angus Robertson Moray SNP.
Mr Michael Weir Angus SNP.
Mr Pete Wishart North Tayside SNP.
David Davis Haltemprice and Howden Tory
Julian Lewis New Forest East Tory

That's ten Lib Dems, twenty four Labour, two Tories, two Plaid and three SNP MPs. Forty one MPs in total. Obviously this list excludes those MPs who weren't MPs in both 2004 and 2010. Well done all of them for being consistent on this issue.

I should point out there is not a logical inconsistency in voting for introducing fees and opposing tripling them, although some might argue that the first allowed the second. I think there is a problem though in voting against introducing them and then being in favour of their increase, as we have seen many Lib Dems and Tories do - but there are too many of them to bother listing.

4 comments:

claude said...

Excellent point.

Anonymous said...

If they were to form a party together I would join it. But as they are unlikely to i'll stick with the Greens

Joe said...

just to add, John Cryer voted against fees in 2004 as the MP for Hornchurch (my Local MP at the time) and in 2010 as MP for Leyton and Wanstead, after not being an MP at all in the middle of that

Jim Jepps said...

Well spotted Joe. Thanks.